Project Play Colorado is a collective impact initiative comprised of state-level entities and community organizations aiming to increase opportunities for youth of all ages to participate in sports. It is the first statewide initiative of Project Play, an Aspen Institute Sports & Society Program-led effort which develops insights, ideas and opportunities to build healthy children and communities through sports.

Given the opportunity to align with 63X30 and the Healthy People 2030 target of 63% of youth participating in sports, Project Play Colorado aims to raise the state’s current youth sports participation rate of 54.5% to 63% and be a model for other states. The initiative was previewed at the 2024 Project Play Summit where UC Health executive Christina Hixson joined the “Key to 63” panel.

Project Play Colorado builds on our work in the state to date. In June, we released our latest regional State of Play report, for the three-county rural area from Aspen to Parachute. Read the report, made possible with a grant from the Colorado Health Foundation and in partnership with the Hurst Community Initiative, here.

Project Play Colorado is proud to launch the first ever Colorado Youth Sports Giving Day, a campaign running from September 4 - 30 aimed at providing non-profit sport providers funds to get more kids playing sports. Led by the Daniels Fund, Weld Trust, Broncos Foundation, Alpine Bank, Strohm Family Foundation, and other sponsors, there will be a dollar-for-dollar match to all online donations starting September 4, 2024 exceeding $500,000. This effort is modeled after the successful Colorado Gives Day. but is uniquely focused on youth sports.

During the month of September, there will be other events aimed at increasing awareness of the impact of sport.  KSE and A Precious Child will hold their annual equipment drive at Ball Arena in Denver on September 21st.  In Colorado Springs, the US Olympic and Paralympic Museum will provide free tickets on Saturday, September 21st to anyone who registers in advance as well will host local sport providers on their plaza for sport sampling opportunities.

For information on Project Play Colorado or the Colorado Youth Sports Giving Day, please contact Jennifer Brown Lerner at jennifer.lerner@aspeninstitute.org or Caleb Coats at caleb.coats@aspeninstitute.org.